Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 22nd of this year, and the forty day season ends at sundown on Holy Thursday. During the season of Lent, Catholics are called to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. This means that Catholics spend time reading scripture, practicing self control, and performing acts of charity. Lent is a time meant to help members of the church focus on their faith and grow within the Church.
It was soon after his baptism by John, that Jesus went into the desert for forty days. The Catholic Church recognizes this period of fasting each year as preparation to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection on Easter. Catholics believe that Jesus made a sacrifice for his people when he prayed and fasted in the desert for forty days, so it is common to give up a beloved item or practice self discipline during the season of Lent. One tradition in the church is to abstain from eating meat on Fridays during the forty days. Refraining from eating meat on Fridays began to honor Christ as he sacrificed his life on a Friday. Another way Catholics celebrate this period is by giving alms. This does not only mean giving money to charity, but it can be accomplished by doing physical service work, such as working at a soup kitchen or volunteering at a homeless shelter.
While practicing self control and giving up luxuries during the season of Lent may seem daunting, it is important to recognize realistic ways that people can grow in their faith during this time. Practicing self discipline during the forty days of Lent does not mean stopping eating all sweets or giving up all social media, but it instead means making a sacrifice to represent what Jesus did for his people. This can be giving up a favorite snack, giving up Starbucks, or even making a commitment to pray every day. If sacrificing something for the entire season or making a change to your everyday life seems impossible, there are still ways to participate in the season of Lent. Restricting the usage of social media apps to certain days of the week, or making an effort to call a family member who lives far away once a week are both great ways to observe Lent.
The season of Lent is a great time for Catholics to grow on their faith and focus on their life in the Church. Making sacrifices and practicing self control are great ways to do this. While it may look different for each person, it is important to focus on self growth during the period of Lent. Jesus made great sacrifices for his people during his forty days in the desert, so the forty day period of Lent is the perfect time to honor him.